Wheel-tire



(No Model.)

A. W. THOMAS.

WHEEL TIRE. I No. 399,357. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

wwwtsszs; INVENTDR:

ATTY.

NTTED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

AMOS IV. THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENXSYIB'AXIA.

WHEEL-TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,357, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed June 30, 1888.

Serial No. 278,642. (No model.)

delphia and State of Pennsylvania, have int vented certain new and useful Improvements in Tires for the \Vheels of Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to a class of tires formed of elastic or compressible material, 1

and such as are capable of being inflated through the medium of air, gas, water, or other fluids or liquids.

The principal object of my present invcu- 1 tion is to provide an inflatable tire made from a sheet of flexible material impervious to liquids or fluids, and such as may be used to a-ssumo a cylindrical form in its engagement:

with a curved or angular telly provided with grooves, slits, recesses, or sunken channels in the sides or edges thereof and caused to main- 1 tain said form after inflation, whereby a very strong, durable, and serviceal'rle tire is presented especially adapted for use in connection with the road-wheels of bicycles, tricycles,

velocipedcs, and other rolling conveyance. The charactm'ist ie features of my invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanving drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure l is a transverse sectional view of a tire embodying the features of my invention as applied to a groovt -l'accd metal folly of the type generally employed in bicycles, and the said Telly with countersunk grooves in the sides or edges t'hcreot' being shown partly in scription of my iuventiol'r, A is the tire, made of a sheet oi rubber or other flexible or elastic material, which, by suitable treatment in the course ot. its manufacture, renders it impervious to fluids or liquids. The sides a and a of the rectangular sheet of rubber or other 1 somewhat analogous material is thickened to form enlargements thereat to engage in the colnltersunlc grooves, channels, or recesses 11 y and b of the telly 3, made of metal or other i suitable material. These channels or grooves extend into the body of the telly some distance on each side of the center thereof in order that the enlargements on each side of the flexible sheetforming the hollow tire may be firmly titted to place and held therein by means 01. cement or other glutinous or adhesive material. Into the surface of the telly B t t t t l is provided an opening,through which extends i a tube, C, provided with a stopcock, D, for i inflating the hollow impervious or fluidtigl1t cylindriform flexible tire A. The degree of compressibility of the tire may be regulated by the degree of inflation, which may be introduced under pressure. l The tire maybe made olf other material besides rubber; but I give preference to the use of rubber for the formation of same. The telly may be made of wood, but I prefer metal.

The tire may be made in a duplex form, as shown in Fig. 2, if a broader tread is desired. Furthermore, the enlargements in the sides of the sheet: of flexible materials may be retained tirml y in the grooves of the telly B by pins, rivets, bolts, or other suitable fastenings.

The principal advantage incident to the use of an inflatable tire composed of flexible material and secured into the grooves of an angular t'elly substantially in the manner de- .scribed is that a very durable and securelyhold tire is presented, especially suited for the road-wheels oil bicycles and other rolling conveyances to insure ease of movement: in the passage of the wheels over rugged or stony roadways.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my inventitm, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An inflatable tire composed of a sheet of flexible material,having the sides thereof enl larged and firmly held in grooves or countersunk channels formed in the sides or edges of a tell y, substantially as described.

2. An in [iatablc tire composed of flexible nmterial, having the sides enlarged, in comi bination with a i'elly having grooves or chan nels in the sides or edges thereof to receive the enlargements of the tire and a tube with In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 10 a cock secured into said felly, substantially signature in the presence of two subscriblng as and for the purposes set forth. Witnesses.

3. An inflatable tire composed of flexible material, having enlarged sides or edges which AMOS V. THOMAS. engage in the grooves of a duplex felly, and 5 means, substantially as described, for firmly \Vitnesses: holding said tire in position therein, substan- WV. A. WVHITMORE, tially as and for the purposes set forth.

GEO. W. REED. 

